BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 13. As reported earlier, the court hearing on the criminal case of Ruben Vardanyan, an Armenian national charged under the Azerbaijani Criminal Code with torture, mercenary activity, violation of war laws and customs, terrorism, financing terrorism, and other related offenses, continues on February 13, Trend reports.
In today’s court session, Assistant to the Prosecutor General for Special Assignments Tugay Rahimli outlined the extensive damage caused by criminal organizations involved in the aggressive war led by Armenia. The damage includes harm to the Azerbaijani Army’s defense arsenal, as well as to the country’s ecology and nature.
It was reported that in the time period from the late 1980s to September 20, 2023, material damage was caused to the ecology and nature of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the amount of more than 13.4 billion manat through the destruction of trees, bushes and other vegetation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, pollution of water sources, water basins and reservoirs, as well as extermination of agricultural lands.
It should be noted that Ruben Vardanyan is accused of committing acts under Articles 100 (planning and waging a war of aggression), 107 (deportation or forced displacement of the population), 109 (persecution), 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law), 113 (torture), 114 (mercenary activity), 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare), 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during an armed conflict), 214 (terrorism), 214-1 (financing terrorism) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
He is also accused of committing acts stipulated under Articles 218 (creation of a criminal association (organization)), 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation and possession of weapons, their components, ammunition, explosives and devices), 270-1 (acts threatening aviation safety), 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state), 279 (creation of armed formations and groups not provided for by law), 318 (illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Azerbaijan) and other articles of the Criminal Code.